Gúnta Business

10/09/2026

🌎 Building Infrastructure for Generations, Not Just Projects!

I had the opportunity to participate in two great roundtable discussions at the Arctic Circle Business Forum in Reykjavík, Iceland: Investments in the Canadian Northern Territories and Greenland Energy.

Both conversations explored how we can attract investment, develop renewable energy, and ensure major projects create lasting benefits for northern communities.

🇨🇦 Investments in the Canadian Northern Territories

I shared how Yukon First Nations are increasingly becoming the driving force behind major economic opportunities, through our development corporations, trusts, and investment partnerships.

Through the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce, we're bringing these groups together to explore collective investment and ownership opportunities.

As I shared during the discussion:

"It's not just the projects that are coming to the table; it's us driving those projects."

I also highlighted the success of Indigenous-owned biomass, solar, and wind projects, and the enormous potential for geothermal energy to transform what's economically possible in the Yukon.

🇬🇱 Greenland Energy

During this discussion, I shared an example from Yukon's history: the hydroelectric infrastructure originally developed to support the Faro mine continued benefiting our territory for decades after the mine closed.

It's an important lesson as we look toward our next generation of major energy investments.

The infrastructure we build for today's industries should continue creating opportunities for communities long after those industries have moved on.

🌎 The Bigger Picture

Whether we're talking about mining, defence, geothermal energy, or community infrastructure, the opportunities across the Arctic are tremendous.

But it's not just about meeting today's energy needs. It's about building the capacity for new industries, stronger communities, and economic opportunities that don't yet exist.

Most importantly, Indigenous peoples and northern communities need to be leading and benefiting from these investments.

Really enjoyed the conversations and connections with leaders, investors, and energy experts from across the Arctic!

10/09/2026

From the Yukon to Reykjavík! 🇨🇦🇮🇸

Gúnta’s Co-Owner and Managing Director, Blair Hogan, joined northern and Indigenous leaders at the 2026 Arctic Circle Assembly for “Canada’s North: A Hub for Investment and Partnerships.”

Representing the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce as President, Blair joined R.J. Simpson, Natan Obed, Paul Irngaut, and George Hickes, with Canada’s Arctic Ambassador Virginia Mearns moderating.

The session explored investment, Indigenous partnerships, energy, infrastructure, and the future of the northern economy.

These themes are close to our work at Gúnta: supporting Indigenous leadership, growing local businesses, and connecting community priorities with opportunities for ownership and lasting benefits.

Proud to see Yukon First Nations business perspectives represented on the international stage!

10/06/2026

Gúnta Business is pleased to share that Co-Owner and Managing Director Blair Hogan will be in Reykjavík, Iceland from October 8–10 for the Arctic Circle Assembly and Arctic Circle Business Forum.

Blair will join leaders from across the Arctic for discussions on investment, infrastructure, clean energy, critical minerals and Indigenous partnerships.

On October 8, he’ll participate in the panel “Canada’s North: A Hub for Investment and Partnerships,” bringing a Yukon First Nation business perspective to the conversation — including how Indigenous-owned businesses are moving from service providers to project partners, investors and equity owners.

He’ll also take part in Business Forum roundtables on investments in the Canadian Northern Territories and energy in Greenland.

For Gúnta, these conversations are about ensuring Northern and Indigenous communities are not only participating in development, but building ownership and lasting economic strength from it.

10/02/2026

Day 1 of the Yukon Association of Education Professionals Biennial Conference is a wrap!Today we had the opportunity to support approximately 1,000 educators from across the Yukon, with our Gúnta team providing technical production and AV support across four locations at Porter Creek Secondary School and Jack Hulland Elementary School.

It’s a big production with a lot of moving pieces happening across two schools, and we’re incredibly proud of our technicians for keeping everything running smoothly throughout the day. A big thank you to the YAEP organizers for trusting Gúnta Business to support such an important gathering for Yukon educators. We’re grateful to be part of it. One day down and one more to go. Looking forward to Day 2 tomorrow!

09/21/2026

09/15/2026

Save the date!

🚨DRUM ROLL PLEASE! 🎉

We are announcing another speaker spotlight for the 2026 Health Summit. We want to introduce you to Asha and Steph with CollectiveCare.

Asha Irish, RMT, NHPC member, and patient advocate, is the co-founder of CollectiveCare, a patient-controlled health information platform based in Whitehorse, Yukon. Her perspective comes from both sides of healthcare - more than 30 years navigating chronic migraines as a patient, and years in clinical practice watching patients repeat, and lose pieces of, their story every time they moved between providers. With her co-founder and dear friend Steph Jackson, together they’re building CollectiveCare to put that continuity back into patients' hands.

Steph Jackson is a functional nutrition practitioner, health educator and co-founder of CollectiveCare. Her own experience with significant chronic health challenges led her into functional nutrition and individualized health support, while her clinical work has focused on complex cases spanning multiple practitioners, tests and treatment plans. She brings expertise in functional health, practitioner education and complex-case thinking to the development of CollectiveCare

09/14/2026

🎙️ Episode 7 of the Arctic Indigenous Investment Series is now available.

What does it take to build an Indigenous technology company in the Yukon—and develop systems capable of operating on remote northern hillsides?

YFNCC President and AIIS host Blair Hogan sits down with John Jensen, Founder and CEO of ALPHA-EL Inc., and Chief Operating Officer Keith Jacobson for a wide-ranging conversation about Indigenous entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, remote monitoring and northern innovation.

John, a member of Carcross/Tagish First Nation, shares how his experience in community infrastructure, internet technology, renewable energy and microgrids helped shape ALPHA-EL. He also speaks candidly about the persistence required to take an idea through years of development:

“We had our moments where it was tough, and we had our moments of moving forward, backwards, forward again.”

The conversation explores ALPHA-EL’s AI-powered wildlife-monitoring technology, the importance of turning field observations into useful information, and potential applications involving Indigenous land guardians, wildfire monitoring and Arctic sovereignty.

John and Keith also discuss building a strong team, raising outside capital and preparing the company for its next stage of growth. The episode closes with a broader conversation about geothermal, biomass, district heating and the Yukon’s energy future.

YFNCC is proud to present these conversations about Indigenous ownership, enterprise and northern opportunity. Thank you to Gúnta Business Consulting and its Gúnta Studio for its continued production partnership on the series.

▶️ Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/wLBf9-7WQro

🎧 Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5CE4OWRxRBW65xYaWu436p?si=t7HfrDydQa-qU2U3dcOggA

Gúnta Business

🎙️ Arctic Indigenous Investment Series (AIIS) — Episode 7Host: Bla...

09/11/2026

The future of Yukon forestry is about more than what we can produce. It’s about what we can build together.

The 2026 Yukon Forestry Conference brings together First Nations, communities, forestry businesses, industry, government and partners to explore practical opportunities for LOCAL WOOD, ENERGY, JOBS, TRAINING and PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.

Come to CONNECT, LEARN and explore ideas that can help move Yukon-led projects forward and strengthen communities across the territory.

October 21–22, 2026
Yukon Inn – Fireside Room
Whitehorse, Yukon

Registration is now open. Link to register is in the comment section.

Rooted in Yukon. Building Our Future.